Four games into the 2017 season, White Sox manager Rick Renteria had to explain that he did intend to actually play Yolmer Sanchez at some point.

“We were gonna try and get Sanchy in there also but we got the rest of the weekend still,” Renteria insisted at the time. “You’re going to see them all playing in there somewhere in the next few days.”

“Them all” referred to the group of utility men that included Sanchez along with Leury Garcia and Tyler Saladino, the last of whom was the Opening Day second baseman and leadoff man. To his credit, Renteria never stopped using them and preparing them for a long-term future as utility players, even when Saladino was his everyday second baseman and Garcia was manning center field regularly. With Yoan Moncada up, Tim Anderson installed at shortstop and a surfeit of center-field prospects on their way, the group of utility guys figures to get pared down, and Sanchez currently sits at the top of the...